Dukka Lakes

The Dukka Lakes are a group of more than a dozen small alpine lakes on the slopes of the Arkasar Range, in the upper reaches of the Malaya Dukka River near Arkhyz. They are sometimes collectively called the Arkasar Lakes, although officially that name belongs to only one of them. The largest, Lake Arkasar, lies in a broad mountain bowl near the Skazka Kavkaza Pass. Lake Rybka is easily recognized by its elongated shape and shores covered with rhododendrons that bloom by late June. Lake Skazka Kavkaza lies farther southeast at an elevation of about 2,420 meters and gives rise to one of the local streams. The water remains clear and cold even in summer, changing from bright blue to deep blue depending on the light and weather. The lakes lie in the Zelenchuksky District of Karachay-Cherkessia, around 23 km from Arkhyz, at an average elevation of about 2,450 meters. They thaw earlier than many nearby lakes and are generally accessible for hiking from early June to mid-October.

The name of the lakes is connected with the Turkic word duk, meaning ‘soul.’ Local tradition described this as a place where the soul lingers. Ancient Alan tribes regarded the slopes as sacred and performed rituals here. Travelers still come in large numbers, and the boldest attempt to swim, although even in summer the water remains icy and rarely warms above +6°C.